Children’s use of digital devices has a significant impact on their mental health and well-being in today’s fast-changing digital world. Digital media and its content influence children’s daily lives, shaping how they learn, communicate, and understand the digital world they live in. The impact of the web-based world on children can be either a boon or a bane, depending on how they engage with it. Positive usage can lead to significant benefits; however, negative usage can adversely impact their mental health and overall well-being.
Positive Effects of Technology on Children’s Mental Health
Technology can have a positive impact on children’s mental health when used responsibly and appropriately. However, these advantages primarily depend on a child’s age, individual characteristics, developmental level, the nature of the media content, and the presence of an adult while using digital devices. When used wisely, technology can offer children lots of opportunities in this digital world.
- Source of information: Technology provides easy access to educational resources, which promotes independence and confidence in learning.
- Enhances social engagement: Internet platforms and social media encourage peer communication, collaboration, and confidence.
- Fosters creativity: Digital technologies promote creativity through the provision of many types of information, such as multimedia art and 3D animation, as well as new opportunities for children to discover and share their creativity.
- Empowering children: Online resources enable children to explore and learn for themselves, fostering curiosity and instilling a lifetime love of learning.
Challenges and Risks of Digital Exposure
While technology brings significant advancement, it also raises some concerns. Numerous studies suggest that frequent use of digital devices can negatively impact the physical and mental health of children, resulting in higher obesity rates, sleep disruptions, delays in cognitive, social, and linguistic development, and academic challenges. It may also result in behavioural issues in children, possibly due to diminished parent child interaction. Adolescence may be extremely threatening for parents to deal with, especially if their children are addicted to the internet and video games.
- Internet harm and cyberbullying: Children are exposed to a variety of threats on the internet, including pornography and violence, spam, and commercial advertising. Cyberbullying can also be facilitated through digital channels, resulting in harassment and unfavourable interactions. Such events can cause anxiety, despair, and insecurity, threatening children’s safety and mental health.
- Decrease in children’s face-to-face interactions: Children spend more time on digital devices for personal amusement and social media, such as YouTube, online games, Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, and other platforms, resulting in less face-to-face interaction with friends and family. This transition can lead to loneliness, emotional instability, heightened anxiety, anger, and difficulty forging interpersonal relationships. It may also disconnect children from the natural world and their surroundings.
- Poor sleep patterns and decreased concentration: Excessive use of digital devices while sleeping interrupts sleep cycles, making it difficult for children to focus during the day. Poor sleep quality negatively impacts academic performance by reducing cognitive function, memory retention, and general learning ability. Furthermore, continuous digital device usage shortens children’s attention spans, diminishing their willingness to learn and think critically.
- Behavioural disorders: Studies in neuroscience and psychology demonstrate that environmental influences significantly impact brain development. For example, playing violent video games can increase aggressive behaviour. Children’s interactions with inappropriate content can erode kindness, love, and compassion from their minds. Digital addiction has imprisoned the lives of countless young children.
- Fading creativity and imagination: Children’s imagination declines as they spend more time on video games and blue screens of digital devices. These devices distance them from the real world. When they only observe nature through their devices, children miss out on experiencing natural beauty. Excessive screen time reduces children’s ability to imagine and think creatively.
- Decrease in self-confidence and satisfaction: Children who constantly engage with screens may struggle to face real-life challenges and experience valuable life lessons. This might lead to low self-esteem and a lack of satisfaction with success.
- Addiction to digital devices: Children increasingly show signs of addiction to digital devices, treating them like a drug. Signs of addiction include hyperactivity, restlessness, excessive irritation when interrupted, disrespectful communication with family, poor academic performance, and obsession with social media “likes”.
The Significance of Promoting Mental Health Awareness in the Age of Technology
- Digital detox: Involves taking a break from digital devices and online activities to focus on face-to-face interactions and mental wellness.
- Increase awareness of online mental pressures: Children are particularly vulnerable to the pressures of social media, contributing to anxiety and low self-esteem.
- Encourage healthy online habits: Teaching children to balance screen time between online and offline activities.
- Access to resources and support: The digital world offers different mental health resources, including online counselling services.
- Fostering open communication: Encouraging conversations about mental health makes children feel safe communicating their feelings.
- Parental involvement: Parental mediation strategies are crucial in monitoring children’s digital device use. Educational programs can help parents manage their children’s digital environments.
- Identifying indicators of distress: Increased awareness helps parents and educators recognise signs of mental distress, enabling timely intervention.
Although technology offers various benefits, it is critical to understand its impact on children’s mental health. Proper guidance and support will help to reduce the negative impacts of digital exposure, ensuring children’s physical and psychological well-being.
Pull Quote:
“Parents of digital immigrants are often worried about their children’s mental health and well being since their children grew up in a technological world as digital natives.”